A man and wolf duo hurriedly left a rat-infested cellar behind.
There were 10 of them, yet they were the same level as the wolf boss. No way that Jack would fight them! Else he’d die for sure, would lose part of his hard-earned XP, and would have to restart the dungeon.
In the distance, that one hunter NPC was still averting his gaze from the buildings. Had he known about the creatures? Either way, it seemed like his help would be required. Jack could only sigh as he waved at him.
“So I went to the cellar….”
“Oh? Did you manage to find the vinegar then?” He innocently asked.
“Nope, it’s infested with rats. Say, could you help me deal with them?” Jack pleaded.
“Y-you mean inside the house?!” He froze.
“Yes…”
“I-I can’t go there! I just can’t!” He vehemently screamed as his entire body began shaking.
His breathing accelerated, and his eyes darted away from the village. Was he having a panic attack? Was it that he couldn’t come to terms with the destruction of the place?
Judging from the speed he had shown earlier, he was probably relatively high level. This was normal considering the NPC had survived in an area infested by tons of level 6 foxes. If he wanted his help, he would first need to convince him. But how?
Jack decisively headed back inside. There was always the option to have a lengthy discussion about it, but he’d require a gimmick if he wanted to be efficient. There was bound to be what he was looking for in a kitchen.
After a while, he grinned, finding his target:
— Found Flint and Steel! —
Sadly, it was a large and heavy contraption that couldn’t be taken away, but it would do for now.
The little wolf watched, completely puzzled.
“We’re going to do some cooking,” Jack explained.
“Woo?” (Confused)
“We’ll use this big thing to start a fire. Remember, we need one to cook raw meat into delicious food.”
“Woo!” (Excited)
How long had it been since he had cooked anything himself? Well, he had barely done it even in his past life.
He had always been too poor to afford decent ingredients, too rich to bother with the task, or too nostalgic to eat anything but ramen.
“Alright, get me some dry wood, small branches, and larger ones too,” Jack instructed the wolf, who happily went to work.
Then began a cooking session, supervised by a salivating wolf with eyes shining with desire.
— Obtained cooked Fox Meat! —
— Obtained cooked Human Meat! —
It was now time to bribe the NPC with food! In Jack’s experience, nothing was more calming than eating a meal in good company.
“Hey, care to join us?” Jack amicably offered.
“A-alright.” The hunter hesitatingly grabbed a piece of meat as he began to stare at it.
“So, why are you scared of the village? I’ll listen.” Jack softly inquired.
“N-no! I don’t even want to think about it, I—”
“Take a bite, calm down, and slowly share. Believe me. You’ll feel better.” Jack persuaded.
At first, he seemed hesitant to the simple act of eating, but Jack’s reassuring expression slowly melted his resistance.
“T-that….alright.” He slowly began eating, his face suddenly relaxing, even smiling a little. After calming down, he resumed talking:
“…We used to live in peace and harmony, hunting and gathering to sustain our lives. But, everything changed when the Foxes attacked. They came out of nowhere and….”
Out of nowhere? They had obviously come out of the forest. As for the cause, it was probably over-hunting like what had happened at the New Leaf village. The only difference was that they didn’t have any magical barrier.
“…My friend saved me but got clawed in the process. I carried him toward the emergency hideout and locked ourselves in. The foxes kept clawing at the entrance trying to break in, night and day, always. The sound was driving us mad….”
Well, the friend had died, right? This would explain the trauma and how the guy was so lonely nowadays.
“…We were stuck there, and he was dying from his injuries. We waited and waited for the foxes to leave, but they just wouldn’t! My friend was losing consciousness all the time…”
Yeah, that’s what happens when you lose too much blood without proper medical care. An eternal sleep soon usually follows.
“…Then I got so hungry, so damn hungry. I didn’t even remember the last time I had eaten. My friend was just lying there asleep and groaning from the pain. I couldn’t help myself….”
Oh crap! Talk about a dark turn!
“….I was really too hungry and I….”
“You ate him?” Jack stated, surprised.
“…Y-yes, I-I did. Every time I close my eyes, I remember his face and what he tasted like. I’m so sorry, I-I….”
His entire body was shaking and he seemed to have trouble with his food. But he fought the gag reflex back and kept devouring.
“I mean, he would have probably died anyway if he was so injured.”Jack shrugged.
“…I could have bandaged his wounds if only I had waited….”
“Who knows when the enemies left, am I right?” Jack said.
“…The foxes left the next day. I could have saved him if only I had waited!…”
Yikes! Talk about bad timing! No wonder that guy was blaming himself!
“I-its all my fault! I did something horrible and….” The NPC didn’t have the strength to finish his sentence.
He began sobbing, tears larger than a sea flowing out of his eyes. His hands shook as he barely managed to keep munching on the meat.
Jack slowly began to comfort him:
“You know, we can’t change the past. No matter how much you regret and anguish over it, it won’t ever change. What you can change, however, is the future.”
“What kind of future is there left for a murderer like me?”
“Look, in a few minutes, I’ll go back inside that cellar and fight the rats to get some vinegar. My chances of victory are slim and I’ll probably die. So what will it be? Will you let me go alone because of your fear, or will you come along and save my life?” Jack asked.
The man hesitated for a few seconds, the struggle between the trauma and his desire for redemption fighting inside him.
“Think about it. This is your opportunity to turn your life around!” Jack persuaded.
That’s when the NPC made up his mind, with his eyes turning resolute.
“I’ll help! I won’t live my life in fear forever!” He declared heroically.
How wonderful, a man who wanted to overcome his dark past!
— Hoodwinked an NPC successfully! —
“Alright, let’s go right now!” Jack suggested before he could change his mind.
“Let’s do this! Ah, before I forget, what kind of meat is this? It tastes amazing! I feel like I’ve tasted something similar before but can’t remember what…”
Jack gave a glance to the piece he had in his hand, giving an awkward smile. This was human flesh, cooked one. Should he tell him the truth? Probably not, right?
“Some wild cattle, they tend to spawn around beginner villages. Their natural habitat is far from here.” Jack replied. Well, it was kinda true.
“Ah, I see. That’s such a shame. Otherwise, I’d eat it every day. ” He deplored.
How would he react if he knew?! Would he have regretted and despaired? Perhaps even attacked Jack for giving it to him in the first place?
Was it immoral? Probably. Then again, he would need strength for the upcoming fight. Morality vs practical benefit? Jack would obviously make the correct choice!
“Here, eat some more, you’ll need the energy.”
The NPC accepted the human flesh with a large smile.
“I’m lucky to have met you. You’re such a good person!”
Ignorance sure was bliss…
Creator’s Thought
In life, there is happiness to be found in the most casual activities. Eating is a great example. How much fun is it to eat with friends! Well, this sentence can have a different meaning with cannibals. That’s the beauty of VR gaming, it allows for things that would normally be frowned upon IRL.